The Regis College School of Nursing is now “The Richard and Sheila Young School of Nursing” after a generous gift of $2 million to the university’s Now We Fly campaign. The gift was given by Brian Young, son of the late Regis trustee emeritus and longtime university supporter Richard “Dick” W. Young, PhD, and his wife Sheila. The Richard and Sheila Young School of Nursing is the first of the university’s four schools to be named.
Dick and Sheila Young were generous supporters of the university for many years. A lecture hall in the Fine Arts Center bears their names and they were members of the Catherine Burke Society, Regis’ society of planned giving donors. Dick and Sheila’s lifetime giving to Regis totaled more than $1 million.
“My father was a devoted Regis board member for nearly 50 years and was especially proud of the growth and success of Regis’ nursing school and the remarkable job that President Toni Hays has done in establishing its leadership position,” says Brian Young. “Regis was the most important philanthropy in his life and our family could think of no better way to recognize our parents’ legacy than to name the Regis nursing school after them.”
Dick was appointed to the Regis Associate Board of Trustees in 1968 and when the university became an independent corporation in 1972, he became one of the first trustees. He was elected to the Regis Corporation in 1983, served as chair of the board for several years, and was awarded an honorary doctor of science degree in 2002.
“Dick Young was a dear friend of mine and a trusted advisor through the years,” says President Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN, who first worked closely with Dick when she became director of nursing in 2001 and the inaugural dean of nursing in 2006. “He made such a positive impact on the Regis community and, in particular, the nursing programs. His legacy will live on through the countless students who have and will continue to benefit from his time, commitment, and generous contributions to this university. The Young family’s incredible support of our mission will ensure a bright future for Regis.”
Dick saw Regis through five presidents and the construction of the Fine Arts Center, the athletic complex, the construction of Angela Hall and the original Maria Hall, and the most recent campus transformation in 2015 that included construction of the Maria Hall Extension, quad, and the Lorraine Tegan Learning Commons.
